Strengths Finder 2.0 has proven already to be a great tool for my leadership. We are going to use this instrument with our staff in the coming months.  I have been using Myers-Briggs Type Instrument for years and still plan to, but this is now another tool I plan to use to help build a healthy team.

Once you take the online assessment you are emailed your strengths.  The following are a summary of my strengths according to this indicator are:

Relator
Relator describes your attitude toward your relationships. In simple terms, the Relator theme pulls you toward people you already know. You do not necessarily shy away from meeting new people—in fact, you may have other themes that cause you to enjoy the thrill of turning strangers into friends—but you do derive a great deal of pleasure and strength from being around your close friends. You are comfortable with intimacy.

Command
Command leads you to take charge. Unlike some people, you feel no discomfort with imposing your views on others. On the contrary, once your opinion is formed, you need to share it with others.

Strategic
The Strategic theme enables you to sort through the clutter and find the best route. It is not a skill that can be taught. It is a distinct way of thinking, a special perspective on the world at large. This perspective allows you to see patterns where others simply see complexity.

Achiever
Your Achiever theme helps explain your drive. Achiever describes a constant need for achievement. You feel as if every day starts at zero. By the end of the day you must achieve something tangible in order to feel good about yourself. And by “every day” you mean every single day—workdays, weekends, vacations.

Analytical
Your Analytical theme challenges other people: “Prove it. Show me why what you are claiming is true.” In the face of this kind of questioning some will find that their brilliant theories wither and die. For you, this is precisely the point. You do not necessarily want to destroy other people’s ideas, but you do insist that their theories be sound.

Have you taken the Strengths Finder assessment?  Feel free to share your strengths here.

I believe in being friends with the people with whom I work.  I consider the people on our staff to be friends. I hope we never hire anyone I could not also claim as a friend.  Part of building a healthy team environment is getting to know team members and building close relationships…friends.

That is the disclaimer statement, because this post is not about working with friends.  Actually this post is the opposite. This post is a warning against working with friends; especially close friends.  Well maybe not a warning, but definitely a caution.

Here are a few cautions when working with or supervising friends:

• Sometimes leaders allow the vision to be sacrificed to protect a friend, but that approach is never good for the organization or the friend. Relationships should not get in the way of accomplishing vision.
• Friendships create a fine line between what is fair for the organization and what is fair for the friend.
• Close friendships within an organization can sometimes cause others in the organization to feel left out of private conversations or inside jokes, creating tension in the working environment.
• When a friend is disciplined or fired it can be difficult for the friend who stays with the organization to continue respecting leadership.
• When a friend is under performing many leaders have a harder time addressing the problem if that worker is a friend.
• Friends sometimes assume unqualified job security.  Some leaders are afraid to fire a person if that person is a friend, but again that approach is never good for the organization or the friend.  There are times when a friend is no longer a good fit for the position or even for the organization.
• If a friend no longer is a fit for the organization and is asked to leave, it can become more difficult to maintain the friendship.

As I said at the start, I love working with friends.  I would not want it any other way.  It is important, however, that friends recognize the risk of working together, knowing that the vision of the organization, at least in the work environment, trumps the friendship.  The bottom line is that doing the best thing for the organization often involves making hard decisions. Leaders should not be held back because of the level of difficulty.

I realize that even this post will create division among readers. Some readers will say that friendships are more important than the vision, but I would disagree.  If the vision is a worthy goal then the vision is worth protecting and friendships should not get in the way.

Have you seen close friendships affect the work environment in a negative way?  Would you rather you did or did not work with friends?

Every organization has the following three critical activities to sustain health and growth. Every person in the organization has some responsibility in each of these activities, but their percentage of involvement per activity will vary depending on their role in the organization.

Growth – Growth is vital to the life of an organization. In business this is sales. In churches this is attendance. Growth fuels the organization’s passion to reach its vision. The excitement of growth attracts creative and visionary types, extroverts and entrepreneurs. If an organization has growth without structure, however, it will eventually bring disorganization, burnout and eventually the end of growth.

Maintenance – As an organization grows it needs systems and procedures to maintain healthy growth. Maintenance keeps the organization legal, staffed and trained. People who are naturally geared for details are attracted to this activity. As important as this activity is, however, if an organization is not careful it can stifle growth with this activity, because the organization can become stale honoring the traditions of its own set rules and regulations.

Development – Growth and maintenance are ultimately not enough to make an organization thrive long-term. In order to experience lasting health and growth the organization must continually improve. With this activity the organization as a whole is made better through evaluation, critical analysis, comparison to other organizations and strategy development. Leaders relish in this activity, and although every person in the organization should participate in development, the most senior leaders should spend a large amount of their time with this activity.

Leaders, it is important to make sure everyone in your organization understands and participates in each of these activities. Personalities, strengths and interests will naturally draw a person towards one of these, but the success of the organization depends on the continuance of all three.

In which of these activities do you or your organization need to improve? Which activity is your favorite activity? Which is your least favorite? (Chances are you are neglecting that one.)

Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.  Psalm 117

The shortest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 117. I have often wondered what was going through the Psalmist’s mind when he recorded his thoughts for this Psalm.  Was he finished?  Did he get interrupted?  Was there something else he wanted to say?  Was he satisfied with his work?  (Obviously God was.)  This shortest chapter has huge meaning.  If we were to memorize just these two verses and implement them in our life, I think it may make a difference in our perspective on the world and the situations in which we find ourselves.

We often think that for something to be grand it must be huge, but that is not the complete definition of the word grand. (For a definition look HERE.)  Shortest or smallest does not always indicate lack of importance.  Many times it is the smallest detail that determines success or failure with a project.  The shortest moments of time can often cause the greatest and the most horrific life changes.  In my life the shortest words of encouragement have often had the biggest impact.

Are you concerning yourself with the small things that matter most?

Every organization goes through life cycles.  These cycles can be natural or forced, but healthy organizations recognize them and adapt to them for continued health and growth.  The descriptions of each stage have huge overlap. Some things I have listed in one stage can easily happen in the previous or next stage. I am using standard organizational management terms and using Grace Community Church as my model. We will be four years old in September.

Birth – This founding period usually involves a few people with a big vision.  This is the initial stage where a lot of learning that takes place and the organization begins to develop leaders fast.  Basically everyone on the team at this point has the potential to become a leader in some area. This is often done through on-the-job training.   We launched Grace with three staff members, our wives, and 11 couples who were excited about a new church plant.  Each member of our team was forced to lead areas outside their comfort level, but we gained some of our best leaders today that way and several people found a passion they did not know they had.  With the rapid growth we experienced at our start this stage lasted only about six months.

Childhood – A deepening and maturity process begins at this stage, but the organization still has few policies and procedures in place and everything is still fun.  New leadership develops and responsibilities spread to new people within the organization. Mistakes are still likely as the organization figures out its identity. The DNA of the organization begins to form.  The organization begins to recognize its need for more structure.  This was a fun stage and time for Grace and lasted about three years.

Adolescence – Greater levels of responsibility are handed out to more people and the weight of responsibility spreads within the organization. The organization has had some success at this point and so it begins to take new risks and dream new and bigger dreams.  This is a continued growth time and usually full of high energy. If the organization is not careful some of the initial leaders of the organization can begin to experience burnout. Structure becomes necessary at this point and the organization begins to think about maintenance. Grace Community Church began entering this stage as a church about at our third anniversary and especially during the last six months.  We have been forced to “grow up” and add more structure to our operation.

Maturity – At this stage the organization has many experiences of success and some failure and must begin to think through continued growth and health as an organization.  The organization needs constant renewal and regeneration to remain current and viable.  Leadership has been developed, but the organization begins to plan out succession of leaders.  The structure of the organization is usually well established by this point, but must remain flexible enough to adapt to changes outside the organization.  At some point Grace will enter this stage.  All organizations do. The goal will need to be that we continue to breathe new life into the church.  A lot of churches reach this stage and cease to change and grow, often steeped in their own traditions.

Renewal – This stage almost always has to be forced on an organization, either by leadership or for survival purposes, but must occur or the organization will eventually die or cease to be viable.   This does not mean the organization must leave its vision, traditions, or culture, but it must consider new ways of realizing its potential.  Some will say renewal comes at each stage of the organization’s life cycle and that may be true, but I contend there is a definite stage in a healthy life cycle where an organization improves and almost reinvents itself to continue to experience health and growth.  My prayer for the leadership of Grace Community Church is that we will always be willing to examine ourselves as church and make changes as necessary to insure that we remain vibrant, healthy and growing.

Another thing to remember is that the speed of an organization’s growth can cause life cycles to become much quicker.  Consider the child who has to face adult decisions early in life and is forced to “grow up fast”.  A similar thing happens to organizations.

What would you add as occurrences within each life cycle?  Have you seen this in your organization?

I love the combination of Twitter and Facebook. Now that Facebook has usernames it will be easier to connect the two. I use the two differently, but both have value in my ministry.

Here are some of the ways I use the two:

Twitter:

• Twitter allows me to make quick connections/network with people who encourage, inspire or teach me.
• Twitter allows me to get things out quickly that I am processing in my mind. As someone who is always processing, this is a needed mind dump at times.
• Twitter updates my Facebook, which makes gives me two platforms to connect with people at once.
• Twitter connects me to people I would never meet otherwise.
• I have written more about Twitter HERE and HERE.
• If we are not connected by Twitter find me HERE.

Facebook:

• Facebook has become the most frequently used way that my church stays in touch with me. People feel they know me personally because of my consistent updates. That opens the door for more personal contact via Facebook emails.
• I get to know my church better through Facebook. It helps me remember names, connect faces to people and I actually feel a part of people’s lives that I only see once a week.
• Facebook allows people to see my family, connect with Cheryl, and realize that I am just a real person. With a large church it keeps me from seeming like just a person who shows up on stage to speak and I believe people listen most to people they trust and feel they know personally.
• Facebook has allowed me to reconnect with friends I have not seen in years. I am getting to know them all over again as well as meeting their families all while online. I almost feel that I am in high school or college again at times.
• If we are not connected by Facebook find me HERE.

I love the two social mediums working together.  How do you incorporate the two?  What other tools do you use to connect with people?

I danced at church yesterday.  I did not dance alone, Cheryl danced with me, but I did dance. Several people indicated they would never believe it until they saw it, so here is the proof.

We are in the middle of a family series and I was talking yesterday about marriage and specifically the need to commit ourselves to making marriage work.  My co-pastor Chad and his wife sang while Cheryl and I danced.  It was a visual picture of the leadership of the church admitting that marriage is tough, but our commitment to make it work is what can make a marriage strong.

You would have to listen to the whole message for it to make complete sense. You can do that HERE.  I also share a few tips to protect your marriage in this message.  For other thoughts on marriage, check out that category of this blog HERE.

I am thankful for a church that allows us freedom to express Biblical truth in creative ways.  What a joy to pastor at Grace Community Church.

What plan do you have to protect your marriage?

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:41 NIV

That word “terrified” here is probably better translated “fear”. It doesn’t mean fear like to be afraid of something.  It literally means of those startled by strange sights or occurrences; or of those struck with amazement; or to treat with reverential obedience.

It really means a reverent awe.  Its like we may say to someone who has done something remarkable, “Wow, I’m scared of you!” It is more of a worship reaction than a reaction of terror.

The disciples, when faced with the incredible truth of Christ and His power, had no choice but to worship Him.  That is what worship is: ascribing worth. They had no choice but to ask, “Who is this guy?”

At that point, perhaps more than any other time, they realized with everything in them that This WAS Jesus.  Did they understand Him completely?  NO. Would they question Him again?  YES. Would there be other storms?  Of course!

For this one moment in time, however, nothing else in all the world mattered.

I had a time like that recently.  I was praying for different people in our church, reflecting on some of the amazing things happening there, when I simply became overwhelmed at Jesus. I started to tear up and soon my eyes were flooded with tears.  It was a great time of worship, in awe of who Christ is and what He is doing.  Honestly it gave me a different perspective on the day.

Could the solution to your current problems be a time of worship?  Do you need to get alone, separate yourself from every other distraction, and fall on your knees and worship?  Is that the missing piece in your life right now?

Worship, like nothing else we do, takes us to the other side with Jesus and builds in us the full reality of His love.  Find a moment this week to worship the Living Christ!

He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:40 NIV

I always find that verse interesting.  These were the disciples.  These guys had left everything to follow Him.  Jesus gave them authority to cast out demons.  I don’t have that authority.  These guys had a front row seat to all the best of Jesus’ teachings.  Some of them wrote books of the Bible.

Yet Jesus asked them if they have “no faith”?  What’s up with that?
I think it was because Jesus really does not feel our faith is complete until we are removed of any doubts.  I am not suggesting we will ever get there on earth.  I am certainly not there yet, but I do think that should be our goal.  We should strive daily to continue to grow in our faith and trust in Christ.

We will have days where our faith is so clear we feel we could move mountains and other days where we are barely hanging on to our beliefs, but over time, through a consistent and persistent walk with Christ He molds us into the person He wants us to be.

What would have to occur in your life today for you to take the next step of faith in Christ?   Is He calling you to a deeper level of trust?  Would He be more likely to say to you today, “Do you still have no faith?” or “Well done my good and faithful servant.”?  I realize that can change daily, but we should consider our lives in seasons and examine whether over time we are growing to trust Him more. Are you?

I love this teaching Jesus did for the disciples, especially in the Message Version.

Now Jesus turned to address his disciples, along with the crowd that had gathered with them. The religion scholars and Pharisees are competent teachers in God’s Law. You won’t go wrong in following their teachings on Moses. But be careful about following them. They talk a good line, but they don’t live it. They don’t take it into their hearts and live it out in their behavior. It’s all spit-and-polish veneer. Matthew 23:1-3 The Message Version

I do not know about others, but I want to see authentic Christianity lived out in the lives of others. I do not want to follow someone who teaches God’s Word, but does not live it out in his or her personal life. Jesus seems to say here that some people talk a good talk, but they do not really “get it” in their hearts. They know all the right verbiage, but their actions do not mirror what they say.

One example is how we may teach a Gospel of love, but then we spew so much hate out in the way we treat others. It is okay to denounce sin, in fact we should, but when the sinners who practice the sin we are denouncing do not believe that we love them, then I am not sure people hear our message, because they cannot get past what they see as condemnation.

Jesus had a way of building a relationship with sinners, without condemning them, giving them an example of holiness, but fully convincing them that He loved and cared for them as individuals. He is the guy I want to follow as my example.

How about you?  Do you long to see authentic Christianity?